ELEVENTH MEETING

STATE OF MINNESOTA ELEVENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-THIRD SESSION


WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE

Representative Jay Xiong, Chair of the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee, called the meeting to order at 1:02 PM on March 17, 2023, in Room 200 of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members Present:
XIONG, Jay (Chair)
BRAND, Jeff (Vice Chair)
BAKER, Dave (GOP Lead)
BECKER-FINN, Jamie
HARDER, Bobbie
HASSAN, Hodan
HEMMINGSEN-JAEGER, Amanda
NELSON, Nathan
REYER, Liz
SENCER-MURA, Samantha
WIENS, Mark

Members Excused:
FRAZIER, Cedrick
ZELEZNIKAR, Natalie

A quorum was present.

HF 1934 (Edelson); Robotics teams and STEM internships funding provided, and money appropriated.

Chair Xiong moved that HF 1934 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Chair Xiong moved the H1934A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMDENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Edelson presented HF 1934 as amended.

Testifying:
• John Nielsen, Student, Becker High School FIRST Robotics Team

Chair Xiong renewed the motion that HF 1934 as amended be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 2356 (Hussein); Sanneh Foundation funding provided, and money appropriated.

Chair Xiong moved that HF 2356 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Rep. Hussein presented HF 2356.

Testifying:
• Tony Sanneh, CEO, Sanneh Foundation
• Faydane Ouro-Akondo, Employee, Sanneh Foundation

Chair Xiong renewed the motion that HF 2356 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 2519 (Hussein); Youthprise funding provided, and money appropriated.

Chair Xiong moved that HF 2519 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Rep. Hussein presented HF 2519.

Testifying:
• Wokie Freeman, Senior Operations Officer, Youthprise
• Mohammed Farah, Executive Director, Ka Joog
• Kamaty Diahn, Executive Director, Organization of Liberians in Minnesota (OLM)

Chair Xiong renewed the motion that HF 2519 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 459 (Wolgamott); Independent living center grant funding provided, and money appropriated.

Chair Xiong moved that HF 459 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Rep. Wolgamott presented HF 459.

Testifying:
• Cara Ruff, Executive Director, Independent Lifestyles

Chair Xiong renewed the motion that HF 459 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 2109 (Wolgamott); The Redemption Project funding provided for workforce development services for adults leaving incarceration, and money appropriated.

Chair Xiong moved that HF 2109 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Rep. Wolgamott presented HF 2109.

Testifying:
• Dwight Tostenson, CEO, President, and Co-Founder, The Redemption Project
• Tom Pippitt, Director of Operations, The Redemption Project

Chair Xiong renewed the motion that HF 2109 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 1107 (Kotyza-Witthuhn); Minnesota Technology Association grant funding provided, and money appropriated.

Chair Xiong moved that HF 1107 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Rep. Wolgamott presented HF 1107.

Testifying:
• Jeff Tollefson, President, Minnesota Technology Association (MnTech)

Chair Xiong renewed the motion that HF 1107 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 2070 (Hassan); The Redemption Project funding provided for workforce development services for adults leaving incarceration, and money appropriated.

Rep. Hassan moved that HF 2070 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Rep. Hassan presented HF 2070.

Testifying:
• Antonio (Tony) Carnell, Participant in Diploma Connect Program, Project for Pride in Living

Rep. Hassan renewed the motion that HF 2070 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 2184 (Norris); Minneapolis; YWCA grant funding provided, and money appropriated.

Chair Xiong moved that HF 2184 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Rep. Norris presented HF 2184.

Testifying:
• Luna Allen-Bakerian, Public Policy Manager, YWCA

Chair Xiong renewed the motion that HF 2184 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 2258 (Norris); Greater Twin Cities United Way funding provided, and money appropriated.

Chair Xiong moved that HF 2258 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Chair Xiong moved the H2258A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMDENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Norris presented HF 2258 as amended.

Testifying:
• Kevin Martinez Herrera, former Career Academies Student, St. Louis Park High School

Chair Xiong renewed the motion that HF 2258 as amended be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 1310 (Norris); Youthbuild program funding provided, and money appropriated.

Chair Xiong moved that HF 1310 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Rep. Norris presented HF 1310.

Testifying:
• Khalique Rogers, Former Participant, Youthbuild Program

Vice Chair Brand assumed the gavel at 2:53 PM.

Vice Chair Brand renewed the motion that HF 1310 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 2526 (Hassan); FATHER Project grant funding provided, and money appropriated.

Rep. Hassan moved that HF 2526 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Rep. Hassan presented HF 2526.

Testifying:
• Guy Bowling, Senior Workforce Development Manager, FATHER Project
• Ben Warner, Career Specialist, FATHER Project in Rochester
• George J. Rerat, Co-Founder and Director, Minnesota Shared Parenting Action Group

Rep. Hassan renewed the motion that HF 2526 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 2127 (Sencer-Mura); Minnesota youth program modified, and money appropriated.

Rep. Sencer-Mura moved that HF 2127 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Rep, Sencer-Mura moved the H2127A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMDENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Sencer-Mura presented HF 2127 as amended.

Testifying:
• Ling Becker, Workforce Director and Executive Director of the Workforce Innovation Board, Ramsey County
• Nari Thao, Student, Community School of Excellence

Vice Chair Brand renewed the motion that HF 2127 as amended be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 1697 (Sencer-Mura); Grant program funding provided to employment support services to persons with mental illness, task force established to address barriers to employment, report required, and money appropriated.

Rep. Sencer-Mura moved that HF 1697 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Rep. Sencer-Mura presented HF 1697.

Testifying:
• Robert Reedy, Senior Director of Vocational Services, RISE, Inc. in Hennepin County and Anoka County
• Daniel Dooley, Client of Individual Placement and Support program, RISE, Inc.

Vice Chair Brand renewed the motion that HF 1697 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 1240 (Baker); ProStart and Hospitality Tourism Management Program grant funding provided, and money appropriated.

Representative Baker moved that HF 1240 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Representative Baker presented HF 1240.

Testifying:
• John Van House, Chef and President, Culinary Federation, Minneapolis Chef Chapter
• Noah Rosenberger, Alumni, ProStart

Vice Chair Brand renewed the motion that HF 1240 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:59 PM.




Representative Jay Xiong, Chair



Bonnsy Vue, Committee Legislative Assistant